News

2014-08-04

EUROPE/SPAIN – Celebration for 484 missionaries of Palencia around the world

Palencia (Agenzia Fides) - About 40 missionaries of Palencia gathered for the usual summer meeting, together with the bishop of the diocese, Mgr. Esteban Escudero, and the diocesan delegate for the Missions, Father Dionisio Antolin, representing 484 palentinos missionaries that the Diocese sent all over the world.
According to a note sent to Fides, the largest group, 70 among priests and religious women work in Venezuela. Of this group, Sister Valentina García Merino, who in August celebrates 50 years of her mission in the Latin American country talked about her experience.
"This year I said goodbye to everyone, because I cannot go back", said the nun, sobbing because she was forced to leave her mission because of health problems, after a life dedicated to religious assistance in a canteen which serves about 70 children in the city of Bachaquero.
After Venezuela (with 70 missionaries), the Latin American countries with more palentinos missionaries are: Argentina (60), Peru (41), Chile (36) and Ecuador (20).
A partial list of the countries with the presence of palentinos Missionaries in Europe: Italy (20) and France (10); in Africa: Angola (9) and Equatorial Guinea (5); in Asia: Japan (6), Taiwan (5) and the Philippines (5).
The complete list is by continents: America 365, Europe 50, Africa 41 and Asia-Oceania 28. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 04/08/2014)